The executive council of Jadavpur University decided to install 70 CCTV cameras on its two campuses, located in Jadavpur and Salt Lake, during a meeting on Monday.

The meeting, held following a Calcutta High Court order, resolved that while 50 cameras will be installed on JU’s main campus, 20 cameras will be installed in Salt Lake.

The council has also decided to appoint 30 trained security personnel on both campuses.

“The university will approach the state government for necessary support to install CCTV cameras and engage the security personnel,” JU’s acting registrar Indrajit Banerjee said.

Last month, a division bench of the high court ruled that pro vice-chancellor Amitava Datta can convene a meeting of the university’s highest decision-making body as the institution lacks a full-time vice-chancellor.

Manojit Mandal, the state higher education council’s nominee to the council, said a JU committee had drawn a budget of ₹68 lakh, and the university will approach the state government for the funds.

“Some cameras had been installed for the first time on the campus gates and the hostels in September 2023, a month after a first-year student fell to his death off the hostel balcony, allegedly after being harassed by senior students at the main hostel. The state government then provided ₹37 lakh to install the facilities. The ordeal faced by education minister Bratya Basu in March this year and the lack of electronic evidence about what transpired brought to the fore the need to install more CCTV cameras,” said Mandal, a professor of JU’s English department.

Registrar Banerjee said they would seek ₹90 lakh from the state government to appoint the security personnel, who would be ex-servicemen.

On March 1, a section of students demanding campus elections climbed the minister’s car near the open-air theatre when he went to attend the annual general meeting of a pro-Trinamool college and university teachers’ association.

The minister’s car hit a student while exiting the campus.

Mandal, who was also allegedly harassed by the protesters, said the areas identified for surveillance include the open-air theatre, pharmacy building, and areas that line the water bodies.

The council meeting did not take up the issue of setting up a police outpost on the
campus.

On March 12, Kolkata Police sought space from Jadavpur University to set up a police outpost and barracks on the campus to “maintain a safe and secure environment... for smooth academic activities”. The Jadavpur police station officer-in-charge sent an email to the registrar saying the police bandobast was essential.

The mail stated the need for “a peaceful environment” and “security of all stakeholders, including students, teachers and visiting dignitaries”.

“Since the meeting was primarily about the installation of CCTV cameras, the police outpost was not taken up at this meeting,” said Mandal.

On June 19, the high court directed the pro vice-chancellor to convene the executive council meeting while hearing a PIL on JU security.